The Boy in the Orange Parka
by Athena Reese
Summary: A heterosexual Kenny story. A romance between Stephanie OC and Kenny told from her point of view first person . A tale of love at first sight filled with mystery, romance, and excitement I know that sounds cheesy but please just give me a chance! . My first fan fiction ever written.
1. Chapter 1: If Only

"If only I could drive…" I thought to myself as I exited my new Colorado abode. "Then I wouldn't have to ride the flipping bus. I'm a junior for Christ's sake."

As I walked down De Los Mexicanos Avenue towards the bus stop the cold wind hit my lips. I hadn't expected it to be warm in September but I sure as hell didn't think it would be below freezing. I pulled down my black skirt in attempt to protect myself from the cold, but it barley reached my knees. My pink earmuffs weren't enough to keep heat from escaping my head. My hands (equipped with matching gloves) were shoved deep into the pockets of my blue coat while my back pack slugged off my shoulders. I found myself running to try to stay warm. As the red stop sign came closer in my sight of vision I swear I could hear someone screaming "Shut your God-damn Jew mouth." "What the fuck" I though to myself. Then I remembered I was now living in a white bread redneck untouched mountain town. I wanted more than anything to be back in California with my brother. I knew this was for the best though. Daniel can go off to collage while I look after Aunt Susan.

My mind trailed off with these thoughts while I reached the bus stop. I stood facing forward, avoiding any eye contact with the boys standing next to me. They were arguing about something. The obese one was shouting but I ignored him. Goose bumps ran from the top of my leg down to by tennis shoes. One of the boys must have noticed my shivering.

"Dude, aren't you cold?" He asked. I turned getting a good look at the boys I was standing next to for the first time. A boy with small clumps of jet black hair shooting out of a blue and red hat was looking in my direction. He had pale blue eyes and a strong build. The other three boys turned to me as well.

"Wha-?" I was a little surprised anyone decided to talk to me. I had expected to go though the entire school year unnoticed, then move back the California. "Oh yeah…" I replied. "I didn't think it would be this cold."

"It's only September dude," he replied.

"Yeah and it's only gonna get colder," this comment came from the fat one who had dark brown hair. He shot me a look of annoyance and I couldn't help but feel self conscious. For a split second however, I could see a look in his eye, a look of sadness. I only ever saw that look in a girls' eyes before. It was a look that screamed "Help me I wanna be accepted!" but then it was gone "Stupid bitch," he mumbled under his breath.

"You're just embarrassed because you have bigger tits that I do."

The other boys stared at me. The fat one just had his mouth gaping open. I covered my mouth. "Oh my god!" I thought to myself. "Did I REALLY just say that out loud?" This is it. They think I am a bitch. They're gonna tell everyone. I can see myself walking down the halls. People will be saying "hey there goes that bitch that picks on innocent fat kids." My life is over. I'll have to me home schooled by… AUNT SUSAN! Dear God help me!

"_Woah duu!_" I heard a muffled voice say. It came from a kid in an orange scuba parka. He was short… well… about as tall as me, but I skipped the seventh grade and started kindergarten when I was four.

"I- sorry" I said. I could feel my face turning bright red.

"You're alright dude," my attention turned to a boy a few inches taller than the one with black hair, only he was a lot bonier. His long curly brown-red hair stuck out of his green hat. He had a warm smirk on his face.

"SHUT UP KAHL!" the fat one screamed. "THE YOU'RE GOD DAMN JEW MOUTH!"

"Oh so you ARE Jewish!"

He shot me a look not knowing to be confused or insulted.

"I mean- uh…" why did I have to be so awkward with new people? "I heard… I heard tittie man screaming from down the block…"

I heard the orange parka kid laugh and say something I couldn't make out. The one with the blue and red hat laughed and playfully shoved his arm. I got nervous and smiled politely while crossing my arms. The silence that fell in afterwards felt too awkward for me. I stared down at my feet thinking of something relatively conversation worthy to say.

"So your name's Kyle?" WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT? "My name's Stephanie."

"Oh… yeah, and this is Stan," he said referring to the boy in the red and blue hat, "and-"

"Fellaaas! Feeellllllaaaaaas!" rang a voice from the distance. I turned to see another boy headed in our direction. He had about four inches of hair on the top of his head that flopped over covering most of his large forehead, but the sides had only peach fuzz. As he approached, I could see his details more clearly. He had big blue puppy dog eyes and flabby cheeks. He was in between the size of the Stan and the parka kid but he had such a baby face.

"What is it now Butters?" Stan said once he had reached the bus stop.

"Butters?" I unintentionally said out loud. What a strange name for a child. The boy (out of breath) looked me up and down, from my blond hair to brown shoes trying to catch his breath.

"Well…" he started rubbing his knuckles together. "Yo- You can call me Leopold." His cheeks turned bright red while he avoided eye contact and continued to rub his fists.

The fat one let out a sigh. "What do you want Butters?"

"Oh! Oh, right! So you're not gonna believe this!" he started out. "So you know how Mr. Garrison eloped with that Mexican last year?"

"What?" I thought this must've been some sort of joke.

"Well, well last month, Senior Jose divorced him and took all his money. So NOW, so now he was forced to move in with Big Gay Al and Mr. Slave, and he got a job teaching honors English!"

"WHAT?" Kyle exclaimed. His face grew pale.

"Is that bad?"

"Dude," Stan turned to me. "Mr. Garrison is the sickest teacher ever."

"He can't be that bad…"

"He was a homophobe," he said.

"Then homosexual," added Kyle.

"_Thnn a wommn_" I had a hard time making out the words the boy with the parka said.

"Did… did he just say a woman?" the boys nodded in unison.

"_nnd that's nnt evnn the hlf uff it._"

"That's what you get Kyle for being a fuckin smart ass," the fat on said.

Butters started rubbing his fists together again. "W- Well Eric… he's also student teaching eighth period gym."

"So?" he replied.

"Well Eri-"

"WE ALL HAVE EIGHTH PERIOD GYM!" Stan exclaimed as he came to the realization.

They all just stood there, mortified, and the bus arrived.

"Hey can I sit with you guys?" I asked, mostly directed towards Stan. He seemed the most open minded of the group.

"_Dude ooo cnn sit unn me unn the bsss_,"

"What's he say?"

"Uhh… nothing…" Stan replied.

"No what'd he say?"

Eric turned to me, "He said he wants you to give him a lap dance on the bus."

"WHAT?"

"_Duu that's nnt what I said._"

"Well it was close enough you perv."

I don't know if it was the excitement of making actual friends or the desperation to seem courageous at my new school but the orange parka kid took a window seat, I climbed over and sat across my lap. My legs were crossed over Butters lap while I faced Stan and Kyle (who were sitting across the isle). His lap was warm. A relief from the cold outside on my legs.

"Satisfied?"

"_Hll yeah!_"

I giggled. There was something about the mystery of this kid that turned me on. I wanted nothing more than to take of his hood. I wanted to see what he looked like. I wanted to hear his voice. But I could tell I was being awkward enough as it is. Butters sat there rubbing his knuckled again. He just kinda looked down at my calves in his lap. Kyle glanced over then whispered something to Stan. The bus lurched forward and I just barely stopped myself from falling of their laps.

"Where'd you say you were from again?" The green hatted boy asked.

"California."

"Cool!" Butters said looking up at me. He had the loveliest deep blue eyed. "My Aunt Nellie lives there!"

"Well that explains the bitches tan," I heard Eric say from the seat behind me.

"Is it really that noticeable?" People used to call me pale back in LA.

"Well here yeah…" Kyle supported.

"_Onnly caus evrrynn hrr s a fucknn allbnno._"

As we came to a stop I almost fell again. The kid put his arm around my hips squeezing me tightly to prevent me from falling on the floor. The force from the turn shoved me into his chest. His whole body felt like a warm blanket. He looked down at me and I gazed into his deep blue eyes. If only I could stay in his arms forever. I felt eyes on me and heard giggling. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Stan and Kyle whispering again. I shot up blushing. "Thanks," I said giving an embarrassed smile and brushing my hair behind my ear.

"_Nno prrbllm._"

"So why'd you move to South Park anyway?" Stan asked from across the isle.

That was a complicated question. "Well," I started. "My mom's nursing in Lybia and my older brother, he's 19, he went to Yale for a degree in astrophysics."

"So you're mom's a hippy and your brother's a smart ass," said Eric attempting to insult me. I just rolled my eyes. I figured he was still sore at me for what I said at the bus stop.

"_Whadabbout yurr dad?_"

I got nervous. I felt my blood boil and my palms grew sweaty. My heart was racing. They don't need to know the truth, but I'm such a horrible liar! "Well…" Oh Stephanie you better think of something soon!

"Dude!" Kyle cut me off. "You don't just-"

"No it's OK," I lied. Great now I have to make something up. "He… umm… he works… in a different country." All their eyes were on me. It felt like the bus grew silent. What am I talking about? "He umm… he sells… medicine to other countries." Oh my gosh, maybe I could make this work "He travels to… you know… third world countries and introduces break-throughs in… medicine and new, safer ways to perform surgery... it's kinda hard to explain, but he helps a lot of people," my heart rate returned to normal as my lie started to make sense in my head.

"That's pretty cool," Kyle said. "What college did he go to? I'm thinking about going into the medical field."

"California State University," it was the only thing I could think of.

"Nice."

"You got your own place?" Stan asked.

"Not really," I responded. "I'm staying with my aunt Susan, my dad's sister, but she's not home most of the time."

"Yeah 'cause she's always going to extended therapy for being a fuckin psychopath," Eric scoffed from behind me.

"She has schizophrenia," I said turning to him. No point in trying to lie about this one. "Is he always like this?" I asked the parka kid. He nodded rolling his eyes.

We came to the school and he held onto me tight. Butters slid out of his seat but the boy with the orange coat wouldn't let me go. He grabbed under my knee and lifted me up. I threw my arms around his neck and laughed. "Let me go!" I playfully teased.

"_HmmMmm, Nope,_" his muffled voice replied.

I held on for dear life laughing, scared and amused as he carried me off the bus. I know people were staring, but I felt the whole thing charming. He let me go once we stepped off the white and blue public transportation vehicle.

"Thanks," I said crossing my arms. I stared into his eyes again. Though they weren't as dark or large as Leopold's, they were mesmerizing. I wish I could see his face. I knew he had to be smiling. He just had to be. I was. For once in a long time I felt accepted. I was able to ignore the cold. Inside, a warm light formed within me. There were butterflies in my stomach! All thanks to… to…

Oh my god I don't even know his name!


	2. Chapter 2: Kenny

"Where's your coat?" Kyle asked. I was shivering again in our fourth period science class. Almost all our classes were together since we were both taking all honors. I was glad Stan wasn't in our class so Kyle could be my science partner. I already found myself comfortable around these boys.

"In my locker," I replied. "With my earmuffs and gloves."

"The heat won't turn on until December."

"WHAT?"

"It's the school boards way of saving money," he looked down at my thighs. "You might wanna buy longer skirts." We laughed.

The teacher was babbling on about what we were supposed to be learning this year or some shit like that. He spoke in the most monotone voice and he was easy to ignore. He must have been deaf as well as boring since everyone else in the class was talking over him. I hated science for this very reason; the teachers were always horrible.

"It seems like everyone knows each-other in this town," I said to him. "People've been staring at me all day."

"Well here, people don't have anything better to do than shoot endangered species and gossip about each other," I laughed again. "I guess you're kinda like Token."

"Who?"

"You know, that black kid who sticks out like a sore thumb cause he's the only one who's… you know, black?"

"Oh right. Yeah he's in my math class. I didn't know he was like… the only one."

"Well you're kinda like him cause-"

"I'm from California," I finished for him. He shot me a smile.

"Oh, and whatever Cartman tells you, don't believe it."

"Who?"

"Eric."

"Oh," I never heard him called that before. "Why don't you call him Eric?"

Kyle paused, "I don't know," was his response. "It's just something we've done since we were kids."

"Does he hate me now?"

"Naw dude he just hates everyone," he said giving me and assuring smile. I fake one back to him.

"Then why do you hang out with him?"

Kyle started to laugh, "Do you know how long I've asked Stan the exact same thing?"

I needed to think of a way to bring up that kid who was on the bus. He didn't introduce himself on the bus stop… or did he? I was so nervous I can't remember. I'm almost certain he didn't… but what if he did? Kyle had to know his name right? He's gonna think I'm a whore. I practically threw myself at him. Well, that wasn't the intention… at first. I just wanted people to think I was spontaneous.

"Are you going to Clyde's party this weekend?" he asked.

"Who?"

"You don't know him?" I shook my head. "You will soon enough. You should come anyway."

"Well…" I remember Aunt Susan warning me about things like this… however she WAS losing her mind. I'd rather risk getting rufeed then get hit with another stick of butter by my crazy relative. "I don't wanna intrude, or, you know, show up uninvited."

"I'M inviting you! Besides, Kenny will be there…" Kyle teased. I looked at him a little clueless. "Oh my god!" his smirk turned to shock as I didn't say anything. "You didn't know his name!"

"He didn't introduce himself!" I protested.

"You gave him a lap dance and he carried you off the fucking bus!" I felt the whole room grow quieter and stare. I looked down at the black table to hide my shame and embarrassment. My face was turning red. After a minute I turned back to Kyle. He was laughing. My fear had come true; he thinks I'm a whore. I rested my head on the table.

"Kyle?"

"Yeah?"

"You won't tell him right?"

"Course not Stephanie," he said smiling.

"Do you have lunch next period?"

"Yeah."

"Umm…" my palms started to sweat. "Could… could I maybe sit with you?" I hadn't made an attempt to make other friends, especially with any girls. They're always really judgmental and talk behind my back, whereas boys are easier to talk to and trust. At least, that's how I've always felt.

"Sure dude you don't have to ask," Kyle replied. I let out a quiet sigh of relief. If he said no I would've been screwed. "That is… if you don't through yourself at Kenny again."

"Am I a whore?" I asked him.

"I don't think so," he said. "If you would've slept with him, then it'd be a different story," he looked me straight in the eye. "You DIDN'T sleep with him, did you?" he teased.

I laughed, "Yeah because a whole four hours have passed between then and now."

The bell rang and we headed towards the lunchroom. A table waited where Stan and Kenny were seated. It appeared each table could hold six to eight people if they decided to squeeze, but if Cartman was one of them it was a whole different story.

"_Hyy Stef_," the boy in the orange parka greeted as he knocked his head back.

"Hey Kenny," I replied approaching the table. I was hoping his hood would be down, but it still covered his face. Kyle nudged my upper arm with his elbow. He was smiling at me annoyingly. I stared daggers at him while I took a seat next to Kenny. I felt warmer just sitting next to him.

Cartman and another boy joined our table. The other one had dark hair like Cartman's but he was so much more attractive. He wore a puffy, soft letterman's jacket that rubbed against my arm. I know he was eying me. I should've been flattered but instead I just felt disgusted. He had a cocky atmosphere around him and smelled like he needed to use less Axe. "Hey, what's going on?" he tried to say in a seductive voice. "My name's Clyde." Now I see why it was such a shock to Kyle that I didn't know this guy. It's because he's such a douche! He doesn't need to say two words to me and I already know he's a massive flirt.

"Stephanie," I avoided eye contact while I fished my brown paper sack out of my back pack.

Stan and Kyle exchanged a look.

"So Clyde," Kyle said, "I told Stephanie about your party Friday night. Is it cool if she comes?"

"Course," the he said, eyes still fixed on me. "There's always room for you." He looked me up and down with raised eyebrows.

I don't know how I kept a straight face. I could've slapped him right there. I could've burst out laughing. Instead I just rolled my eyes and took a bite out of my triangle sandwich. I looked over to Kenny. Kenny There was no tray or lunchbox in front of him, no lunch at all. He just sat at the table, his head rested in his hand. I spent a while just looking at him until he glanced over in my direction. I looked down at the table where his lunch should've been.

"_Wha?_"

"Dude… where's your lunch?"

"Kenny's family lives on pop tarts and frozen waffles for dinner," Eric scoffed. "He doesn't have a lunch because he's poor as fuck!"

Kenny tilted his head towards the table, ashamed. His hands were folded in front of him. He was too tired to deny the truth, I knew how that felt. I took the other triangular half of my sandwich and handed it to him. Kenny just looked at it, sitting in my hand. He looked to me as I shot him a smile, then back to the sandwich.

"You can have it," I said. It was really cute how timid he was. "I don't eat much." Hastily, he took it from my hand. I thought I would be able to see him take his hood off (as a bonus to making him happy) but he only revealed his mouth.

Before I could get a good glimpse of his lips I heard Eric announce "Oooo looks like Stephanie's the provider in the relationship. So that makes you the bitch then huh Kinny?"

"Fuck off Cartman," and apparently that's all you need to say to make him shut up.

"So Steph," oh shit Clyde's gonna attempt to say something again. "You need a ride to my party?"

"Actually," Stan said before I could speak. "She was gonna ride with me and Kyle," he shot me a wink and I smiled back "Thank you!" I mouthed. God I officially owe him one. I guess this means I have no choice but to go though.

"Wait a minute, I just realized something Stan, if you have a car, then why don't you drive to school?"

"It's technically my sister's car. She usually doesn't let me use it, but I blackmailed her."

"Who'd she sleep with this time?" Cartman asked.

"Her boss at Benigens."

"You have to blackmail your sister to use her car?" I asked.

"Yeah, didn't you ever do that to your older brother?"

I thought Stan would've forgotten about Daniel. I told him he was in college on the bus I think. "Well I'm only 15 so-"

Clyde did a spit take, Kyle almost choked on his mac-n-cheese.

"DUDE!" Stan (as well as the rest of the table) had a shocked look on his face. "YOU'RE A 15 YEAR OLD JUNIOR?"

I laughed at how amazed they were. "I skipped seventh grade" I explained. "Plus I was the youngest in my class since I started kindergarten early. I was only four, but I'll be 16 in October! Halloween to be exact."

"Well aren't we just a little over-achiever?" Cartman mumbled stuffing a tator-tot in his mouth.

"You've got your temps and stuff though, right?" Clyde asked

"Yeah, but I'm not driving anywhere with Aunt Susan in the car."

"SUSAN WELLIC'S YOUR AUNT?" I nodded. "I feel so bad for you." I would've been offended by Clyde's comment if it weren't true.

"_wwut arre yoo dooin frr yoor shweet sixteen"_

"Oh I dunno…" I replied to Kenny opening my pudding cup. The sandwich I gave him was long gone. "I don't think I'm gonna do anything at all, since you know… I'm not at home or anything."

"Aww c'mon!" Clyde egged me on. "You GOTTA have a sweet 16!"

"I guess I'm more excited for Halloween then my birthday," I admit I was disappointed to not know enough people to through a glamorous party. "It's my favorite holiday."

"_wuhy?_"

"I dunno," it was actually kind of a personal question. I especially didn't want Eric to hear my answer. "I love dressing up in costumes, pretending to be whoever for a whole day and I can't be judged for it… you know?" they all looked at me rather confused. "Plus you get hyped up on sugar…" the whole table nodded with agreement.

I looked over at Kenny again. He still seemed hungry. No wonder he was so skinny. He probably hasn't ever had a proper meal. "You want my carrot sticks?" I asked. He nodded and took them.

"Oh hey! How was Mr. Garrison's gym class?" Stan asked.

"He's hung over or something," Eric replied. "Rumor is that he got hammered last night and got crabs from a tranny or something…"

"Yo- You're kidding right?"

"You poor innocent little girl," Clyde shook his head in pity.

"When do you have English?" Kyle asked.

"Next period."

"_Mmm too."_

"Good luck," he said holding my wrist.


	3. Chapter 3: Mr Hat

"Alright class my name is Mr. Garrison," the honors teacher stated writing his name on the board. "And I will be your English teacher this year so as long as you all sit down and shut the hell up we can get through this fast as fast as possible. Just to start I wanna clear those awful rumors; yes I'm gay, yes I enjoy getting my ass pounded on Friday nights, and yes I MAY have been involved with drug abuse yesterday. Can any of you prove it? No. So I suggest you keep your fuckin mouths shut unless you wanna get a firm beating from Mr. Hat," he addressed a puppet positioned on his right hand.

"_I will fuck you up!_" he said through a pile of cloth. "_I will rape your parents and make you eat your mom's aborted offspring!"_

Kenny sat next to me in the back of the room. I gave him a nervous look. Butters raised his hand on the other side of the room.

"I thought you got rid of Mr. Hat after third grade," he said. "What happened to Mr. Slave?"

"_What's the problem ass-face? You got a problem with me? You'd rather sit here in class with that perverted two timing whore? It's people like that who make you watch as they rape your father!"_

"Now Mr. Hat-"

"_You go to hell! You go to hell and you die!"_

Butters screamed and ran out of the room crying. I'm not sure whether or not his pants were dry. A hush fell over the class.

"Well the answer Leopold's question Mr. Slave is a faggot who ran away and got married when we went through a ruff patch. Apparently gay men don't like it when you get rid of your penis without them knowing," he mumbled. "So I'm staying in his guest room planning a way to kill Big Gay Al."

"WHAT?" I found myself shouting astonished with my mouth opened wide in shock. Mr. Garrison stared daggers at me.

"_And if some bitch decides she's gonna go alert the authorities, she'll just make a visit to the Mormons IN HELL!" _Mr. Hat screamed.

The whole room grew silent and eyes turned to me. My face turned bright red as I slumped down into my seat. I heard Kenny giggling from across the isle. How could no one else be worried about this teacher's mental condition?

"Alright class now the first book I'm gonna need you all to get is 'Edith Hamilton's' Greek Mythology.' We will be studying this for most of this grading period and-" Mr. Garrison's words trailed off. I was still sunken under my desk. No one was looking at me anymore but I still felt so embarrassed. I obviously was not yet adjusted to the culture of this town. In fact, I don't think I ever will.

A note landed on my desk right at my eye level. I looked to the direction it came from and saw Kenny waving at me. I smiled and opened it.

_"Don't worry,"_ it said. _"The puppet's only ever tried to kill Cathy Lee Gifford."_ What the hell was that supposed to mean? _"Mr. Garrison's been like this since the 3__rd__ grade."_

I took out my purple pen which I only use for marking something important in my class notes or planner or, in this case, writing to an important person. "**I think the puppet is the scariest part,"** I replied. **"You're going to Clyde's party Friday right?"** I folded it up and passed it back to him.

_"I dunno… I think I'm just gonna stay at home."_

Kenny was the only reason I wanted to go to the stupid party. I don't wanna step foot in Clyde's house unless he's there to talk to. I guess it would still be cool with Stan and Kyle, but I really wanted to get to know him better. **"I was gonna get a ride with Stan and Kyle… but I don't wanna go if-" **I erased that last part. No need to sound desperate. **"but I don't think it'll be any fun either, I'll go if you go."** I wrote instead.

_"Alright. I'll go if I can find a ride. I might take Karen (if my dad lets me use HIS car)"_

KAREN? WHO THE HELL IS THIS "KAREN?"! She'll probably some bitch or slut or something. Kenny wouldn't have feelings for two girls at once right?... But maybe he doesn't have feelings for me at all. Maybe he's not who I thought he was. At least he's coming to the party right? That's gotta mean something. **"Would Kyle and Stan take you?"** Whatever happens at the party, all I know is that I don't want Karen to be there.

_"Most likely, you can count on me being there."_

I smiled and tried to think of something to write back, but instead I found myself folding up the seemingly worthless piece of notebook paper and putting it in my backpack.

* * *

Friday came faster than expected. I hadn't really met anyone new, but after four more days of lunch at Kyle's table, I found it easier to understand Kenny. Clyde still made annoying attempts to flirt with me. Cartman still called me a bitch, and I started packing a second sandwich for Kenny everyday.

As soon as I got home from school that day I raced upstairs to my room to get ready, even though the party didn't start until 8. My hair was washed and straightened. Mascara and red lipstick was carefully applied to my face. I slipped into my favorite pink cotton shirt and tight ripped pants. I looked pretty hot if I do say so myself, but not slutty, flirty yet hard to get. Before I knew it Stan's car was in the drive way and he was honking the horn. I came out 5 minutes later.

"Where's Kenny?" I asked climbing into the back seat.

"He's going with Karen in his dad's car," Kyle replied riding shotgun.

SHIT!

Kyle and Stan laughed all the way to the party. They were talking about some Canadian television show or something. I ignored them and stared out the window, my head resting in my palms, watching the world pass me by. This night was going to be pointless and awkward. Kenny's probably gonna disappear at midnight with his floozy. With my luck I walk in on them doing it in Clyde's bedroom. How could I be stupid enough to fall for his little "game." He's no better than Clyde.

There was a tap on the window opposite of me. I turned to see Kyle. "You comin?" he asked. I didn't even notice they got out of the car. I was forced to put on my happy face as I entered Clyde's house.

We all walked up to Clyde's door together. The Ke$ha song blasting made it hard to hear Stan compliment my necklace from outside. I was wearing the one my Dad gave me when I was little. Kyle opened the door and it looked like we were the last ones to arrive. A few kids were already wasted and vomiting on each other. The windows were clouded with condensation and the whole house was stuffy and filled with sweaty mad dancers. Clyde went all out with laser lights and spinning gobos. He hired Token to DJ (or at least I THINK it was Token since he was black). I figured Clyde threw a lot of parties like this and I would be pressured to go to another one.

A girl ran over to Stan almost immediately and jumped into his arms. She rapped her legs around his back and started grabbing his hair as they were making out. She wore a short yellow skirt and a tight purple sweat shirt that covered a white skimpy tank top. Her hair, the exact shade of Stan's had to at least reach her ass, which I now noticed Stan was grabbing at. I coughed uncomfortably.

Stan pulled his face away for a second. "Oh Step this is Wendy. Wendy, Steph."

"Oh yeah," the girls said still in Stan's arms. "I sit in front of you in Mr. Garrison's class."

"Yeah!" I lied, I had no idea who this girl was. "Hey when do we nee-"

But she turned back to Stan and he started gnawing on her face again. I turned to Kyle annoyed but he just rolled his eyes and smiled. All this love was making me angry. Really I was just jealous of what I didn't have. I decided to storm off to the kitchen before I lost control and hit someone.

I managed to find a bottle of coke in the fridge amongst all the alcohol

"Hey," oh great a wild Clyde appeared. "What's going on?" the wild Clyde uses arm around... it's not very effective. I sighed. "Have a drink." He poured me a shot and set it in front of me. I was actually really tempted to grab Clyde and go all the way, but then my head snapped back to Earth. Without a further thought I (illegally) gulped down the yellow-brown liquid. Take that society!

"_Hey!_" a muffled voice called to me. I turned to see Kenny. "_I didn't know you drank._"

"WHAT? Can't a girl have a fuckin shot without being judged?" I snapped at him

"_…Sure,_" he said hastily, eyebrows raised. A girl with short brown hair appeared shyly behind him. She gave me a polite smile.

"Who's this?" I asked angrily. I never actually drank before and didn't know how long it would take me to get wasted.

"_Umm…_ _Stephanie this is my sister, Karen."_

"I'll bet it is- wait," and my face turns red again…


	4. Chapter 4: The Lily

The big-eyed brown-haired girl crept out from behind her older brother and held out her hand, "Nice to meet you," she said giving a polite smile. I shook her hand back. She was most likely a freshman but looked like a fourth grader! She had a scraggly old red coat on, I bet it was older than her. The garment drooped over her fingers when her hands rested at her sides. I had no doubt that it was a hand-me-down. Her face was messy, dirty, and covered in blackheads and soot. Maybe Cartman wasn't exaggerating at all and there family really was "poor as fuck."

"I- I'm so sorry I snapped at you," I said humbly. "I just- I-"

"That's OK," she said smiling. "Kenny I'm gonna go find Jason."

"_Ok Karen. Kyle's driving you home though," _he replied.

The girl left leaving me and the boy in the orange parka. "She's cute," I told him. Kenny just looked down at his shoes. It was hard for me to read his facial expressions. I couldn't take his air of mystery anymore. "Why don't you ever take it off?"

_"WHAT?" _I appeared to have caught him off guard.

I let all my self consciousness go, "The orange parka. I've never seen you take it off. It's pretty stuffy in here. Aren't you hot?"

"_Well, I just… It's that…" _his voice started trailing off. I think he was purposely muffling nonsense into his coat. _"ii prrrtkks mmmur idddnity nnn shhht."_

I giggle at his shyness. He started to blush. "But if you'd take your coat off, maybe more people would understand you."

Kenny stared me straight in the eyes. I could just barely make-out him saying, _"Maybe that's for the best that they can't…" _His eyed directed back down to his shoes again. They remained there for a while.

"Do you wanna dance?"

"_I would love to,"_ he replied looking up at me as if he were waiting for me to ask.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me out into the crown of horny, drunk teenagers. I liked how I could dance like I was having a stroke and, rather than just being embarrassed, he'd do the same thing. Most people were too drunk or high to notice us anyway. Kyle was flirting with a blonde, and Clyde was shirtless and making out with some girl with straight red hair on his couch, and I hadn't seen Stan and Wendy since we walked in the door. During one of the songs I felt Kenny's hands drift to my hips. The next thing I knew there was a dry humping fest behind me a mile long. My head turned to Kenny and kissed his bare forehead blushing but then Token let the music slow down.

Couples around us started drifting back in forth. I don't know how much time had passed since we ran on the dance floor, but I was sweating hard. My face was hot and the top of my shirt was wet. My body fallowed my head facing his direction. I felt self conscience of looking like a tomato. He took off his brown mittens, folding them carefully and placing them in his pocket. His bare hands wrapped around my bare cheeks. His hands were freezing! It was a relaxing feeling, like a cool pillow. My right hand fallowed his left, pressing his hands harder on my face. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh smiling. I felt so intimate, so close to him, I mean, I've kissed people before, but none of them gave me the chemistry as much as this moment right now. I know it sounds crazy, I guess it's just a hard feeling to explain. Maybe… maybe this was love.

I opened my eyes; Kenny was looking over my shoulder at something in the distance. His expression showed anger and shock. I turned my heads as his hands returned to his sides numbly. He was looking at Karen, slow dancing with another boy. A boy who's pants started at his knees and had a tattoo on his shoulder. I could smell weed and alcohol on him from across the room.

"You care about her," I said turning back to him.

_"I worry about her," _he said still looking in her direction. Kenny was now clenching his fists at his side. Angrily he fished his gloves out of his pocket and shoved them on his hands. _"You wanna go for a walk?"_ he asked turning his attention back to me. _"Clyde's par-"_

"I would love to," I cut him off smiling.

I fallowed him back to the kitchen. He grabbed a beer from the fridge. "You want one?" he asked looking back at me.

"Why the hell not?" I grabbed aluminum can from him. I've already had a shot tonight. What damage could one more drink do?

We snuck out of the back door in the kitchen and through Clyde's garden. He and I raced through a small wood to get to the street behind Clyde's house. We giggled the whole way joking about Slenderman chasing after us. I stopped when I reached the grass but Kenny "accidentally" tackled me to the ground. We were hysterical as he was crawling over me. He brushed my hair out of my face and put a light pinkish flower in my hair, tucking it behind my ear.

"Do I look pretty?" I asked innocently.

Kenny kneeled to his knees still hovering above me. _"Like an angel."_ His blue eyes sparkled. He stood up and offered me his hand.

The night was calm and quiet illuminated by the stars, the cresset moon, and the occasional street lamp. Kenny's can hissed as he cracked it opened and took a sip. We walked to the end of the block in silence. It wasn't until we turned the corner that I decided to talk.

"I feel like an ass," is the first thing I say to Kenny once we get passed Clyde's house.

_"What? 'Cause of the Lily?" _Kenny asked chuckling.

"No! No, I love it!" I said reaching for its delicate petals. "For snapping at your sister. I'm such a bitch! That's the second time I've flown off the handle for no reason."

_"… what?"_

"Remember when I made fun of Cartman at the bus stop?"

_"Oh shut up,"_ he said rolling his eyes and taking a sip of his Miller Light.

"I don't really drink," I confessed after a pause. "I guess I just needed a shot to put up with Clyde." Kenny laughed. "It was the first alcohol that's ever really touched my lips."

_"Shut-up!" _he said playfully nudging my arm. I laughed along with him.

"Well remember I'm only an over-achieving 15-year-old," I laughed looking down at my own Miller Light. If I opened it, it would probably spray on me from when we ran through the woods. Wait… does that happen to beer? Or only soda? I grasped the can in front of my chest with both hands. "I guess the placebo made me think… I was drunk or something…"

_"What?"_

"Nevermind," I quickly said. I looked down at Kenny's hand dangling at his side. I dropped my left hand and looked over at him. He shot me a look and I tried to avoid eye contact. Then his mitted hand interlocked with mine. Kenny's cheek bones were raise. He had to be smiling, so I shot him one back and cracked open the beer can with my one hand taking a long sip.

_"I need to stop,"_ he said looking down ashamed. _"My mom and dad are both alcoholics. I don't wanna end up like them."_ His eyes became watery. _"I REALLY CAN'T end up like them"_

"I don't see what the big thrill is with under-aged drinking. I would choose a Dr. Pepper over this shit any day," he let up a small chuckle but it had a saddened undertone. "You know it's genetics that causes you to be addicted to things like alcohol, weed, or chocolate. It's a gene that gets passed down to a child from a parent… I'm sorry am- am I boring you with science talk?"

"_Naw dude I'm into smart bitches."_

"Shut up!" I laughed.

_"I like your necklace," _he said.

"Oh thanks," I said looking down at it. "My father gave it to me." Kenny was silent as he just stared at the little gold pendant attached to a black string. "You know he got it for me from one of those old crank machines, you know, where you put in a quarter and one of those plastic balls with a prize in it comes out of the metal compartment?"

_"I never would've guessed," _he paused. I sensed he wanted to say something but was unsure.

We heard a car's breaks screech in the distance. It made me jump as I wrapped my arm around Kenny's squeezing tight.

_"Afraid of the dark?"_

"A little…" a lie. I am petrified of the dark and I always have been. I took only my second sip of alcohol. "Will… will you walk me home? It's real close…"

_"Sure,"_ he replied.

It was silent for most of the walk. "Her coat looked a little big," I told him.

_"Whose?"_

"Karen's. I probably have some old one's that'll fit her a little bit. I mean, they';; still be big, but you know… they'll be girls' coats."

_"Yeah the one she had on was Kevin's" _he replied in a monotone voice. _"He pretty much turned out like my dad, except he's actually got a job. You know, down at the umm…" _his voice trailed off _"sriip cluuub."_

I raised my eyebrows and opened my mouth to speak, but decided it would be best to keep silent. I took a drink again and squeezed his arm tighter, resting my head on his shoulder. "I'm tired."

_"Which one's your house?"_

"The umm… this… this… this green one up here! Yeah we're like two blocks from Stan's house right? Yeah here's my house."

Kenny laughed. "You're drunk! You've had what… two sips of beer?"

"Hey! It was three!" another mouthful of liquid traveled down my throat. "Now it's four!"

Kenny laughed again, "placebo?"

"Probably."

He walked me up to the porch to my door and gave me a hug. I turned the knob and cracked the door.

"Oh wait shit! How- how are you gonna get home?"

_"Don't worry about it," _he said taking my hand. _"I'll find a way."_ He bent over and kissed my hand. I blushed as his cold lips touched the back of my palm. "Goodnight," he said as he turned away.

I entered the house, closed the door, and right there sunk to the floor. My heart was fluttering at a million miles an hour. I took my beer to the kitchen and poured it down the sink. I couldn't put the can in the trash or recycle, Aunt Susan would find it. So I went back out through the front door humming "I Miss You" by Blink 182 and thinking of Kenny. I tossed the can in the blue plastic bin on the foot of our driveway. That's when I saw the neon orange coat out of the corner of my eye and immediately stopped humming.

He was a few houses down the street. I sat on the edge of the sidewalk watching him sip his Miller Light as he stumbled down the road. I could see him pull the strings of his coat when a cool wind passed. I thought of calling out to him, or blowing a kiss goodbye, but I decided to watch him walk away mysteriously. It turned out to be the worst mistake I made. One of the street lights started to flicker. Kenny was directly under it. He looked up at the light when out of no were the bulb shattered from the socket, electricity sparked, and a muffled "_oof_" was heard in the darkness as the boy fell to the ground. I stood-up shocked and ran dizzily down the street to him crying out his name. I reached him but nothing could be done. The sharp blades of glass managed to cut through his skull and neck.

"Oh my god…" my lips trembled. "They… they killed Kenny!" I started crying. I yelled, screamed, and threw a fit in the middle of the street. "YOU BASTARDS!" I don't know who I was yelling at. I don't know why I was mad. I had a mental breakdown and started sobbing over his body, letting the tears drip down my face and form a damp spot on his parka.

After a minute I started to pull myself together. I sat up and squeezed my eyes shut for a few minutes. I had been crying for at least a half hour. What would happen to poor Karen? He was so young, why did he have to go tonight. I thought of what he said to me before leaving my porch. His last words ever spoken on Earth; " _don't worry about it, I'll find a way."_ "Goodnight."

"Oh my God!" I said aloud as I opened my eyes. Before I pieced my thoughts together the body that was lying in front of me was gone. There was nothing there but a few shards of glass and rats.

Terrified I ran back home, through myself on my bed and cried. His words ran through my head; "don't_ worry about it, I'll find a way."_ "Goodnight." He pulled the fabric from his coat down to kiss my hand, and then he said one word. One unmuffled word, and I can't remember his voice, and I'll never be able to hear it again. I cried until I fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Sweeter in Dreams

I drifted in and out of a deep sleep the next day. I kept having the same dream. No surprise that it involved Kenny. We were lying together in bed. The pillows, sheets, and puffy blanket were all the same shade of white. I snuggled up to him in his orange parka as he held my naked body close. I reached for his hood and grabbed the puffy brown fur that surrounded his face.

The hood never came off though. I'd wake up, cry, and fall back asleep. It felt like only a few minutes had passed but my clock said it was five hours between the times I awoke. Around seven o'clock I peeled myself from my bed. I slept through the entire day and the sun was already setting.

I squinted when me bathroom's lights flickered on. A monster faced me in the mirror. My eyes were puffy and practically swollen shut from Mr. Sandman's rubbery plastic. My mascara and eyeliner from last night hitch hiked a ride with my tears all the way to my chin. My face was painted red and black and my lips looked swollen from smudged red lipstick. Although it was once straightened, my hair lay matted in a tangled mess on top of my shoulders.

I don't know if it was from the alcohol last night or depression but something made me throw up but I managed to make it to the toilet. I was out of tears. My body felt weak. I brushed my teeth and turned on the shower. The hot diamonds of water scraped over my body. I stayed there until all the hot water was gone. It didn't take that long to clean myself, but I spent a lot of time thinking.

I thought about Kenny, I thought about my dream, I thought about how I was going to scrape the paint from my face. Somehow I managed the last one.

The cold air sent huge goose bumps down my skin as I exited the bathroom, a towel rapped around my hair and body. It was dark. I walked downstairs to the kitchen still dressed in towels. Aunt Susan was already in bed so I figured I wouldn't need to get dressed. My stomach grumbled. I threw some popcorn in the microwave and went to grab a Dr. Pepper from the fridge.

But when I turned, I swear there was a man standing across from me. A gasp of air escaped my lungs as I stood there and rubbed my eyes petrified. Am I going to die? The towel slipped from my body. My eyes weren't even closed for a second but when they reopened I only saw the archway leading to the living room. My skin filled with goose bumps again, but from fear not cold and a chill went down my spine. I picked up the towel from around my ankles and rewrapped myself in it. I grabbed the soda I was looking for, a few snacks from the cabinet, and my popcorn and sprinted up stairs and jumped in bed.

Was there really a boy there? Or was I going crazy? I didn't see him for very long. It was so real. I know I'm not dreaming! The red pinch marks on my arm prove it! How could my head create such a vivid image from nothing? He had some sort of hood that shadowed his face. Other than that, I couldn't see anything except a few strands of golden hair shooting out.

I dug General Samuel, my tattered old stuffed puppy, from under the blankets. I clung to him for protection and tried to drown out my fear by turning on my television. Feeling a little safer I changed into my most comfortable pajamas and propped myself against a pillow and sat cross-legged above the blankets combing my hair.

Futurama was on. It was the one on Valentines Day, when Bender dates the ship. I dug out my secret stash of chocolate and enjoyed my feast. There's a part in this episode when Fry coughs up a candy heart onto Leela's face, after she gives him the Heimlich… and the heart says "YOU LEAVE ME BREATHLESS"… and I usually think it's really sweet… but I just cried. I cried and thought of Kenny.

I came to a huge knot in my hair when I realized my flower was gone! The Lily he put in my hair, that last thing I had to remember him by, was gone! I searched my bed for some sort of remaining crippled petal that may have fallen from the stem, but there were no remains to be found. Kenny was gone, and I would never see him again, I would never hear the muffled voice of the boy in the orange parka, and I had nothing to remember him by…

The next morning I woke up to my iPhone ringing. I looked at the screen to see a text from Stan.

_Hey me, Kyle, Bebe, Wendy, Kenny, and (sadly) Cartman are going out to KFC. Kenny wanted me to invited you cause he's too pussy to do it himself lol._

I blinked, rubbed my eyes, pinched myself, re-read the message. After five minutes I knew I had to be awake. Without thinking I called Stan forgetting the fact I hate talking to people on the phone. It started ringing. I tapped my knee anxiously and bit the side of my cheek waiting for him to answer.

"Hello?"

"Kenny wants me to come!"

"Uuuh… yeah dude," he sounded confused from my tone of voice. I felt he knew something was wrong just from my first sentence.

"I'm sorry I, I just, I thought…" I pinched the skin on my forehead. "Have you seen him since Friday?"

"Yeah dude he's over at my house right now."

"Hi Stephanie!" I heard Kyle call from the background.

"She's askin' about Kenny r-tard."

"Told you they fucked after the party," the fat boy called out in the background.

"_Shut the fuck up Cartman you fuckin ass whole. Yrrr jst bshin causs yuur jelus wwthout a grrl to ptt out frrr you"_

I smiled, almost crying at the muffled voice through the receiver. "What time?" I asked failing to make my voice sound normal.

"Uhh like… one," Stan said more concerned about me than his plans. "Dude, are you OK?"

"Yeah… Yeah it's just…" I said starting to hyperventilate. How could I make him understand? I didn't even understand! "I'll see you there." A blurted between gasps for air and hung up my phone before hearing a response. I fell back on my bed and exploded with emotional tears and deep, uncontrolled breathes until I came back to my senses.

Why was I crying? Was I happy that Kenny was alive? No, I was angry at myself for letting myself get so worked up over something that didn't happen. No, I was mad at Kenny. HE should have called me back after the party, right? Maybe he really likes my though and doesn't wanna seem desperate, but maybe he doesn't like me at all so he didn't bother to call. Did I dream his death? I could've somehow slept walked up to my bed, or maybe I was too drunk to remember. But then what did I see in the kitchen? Did I dream that too, it seemed so real?

I glanced over to my bedside table to check how much time I had to make myself look presentable. 30 minutes. And there, sitting next to my red alarm clock, was the light pink flower.

I picked it up. It was so delicate. The petals were soft to the touch and it looked as freshly picked as yesterday. I went downstairs and filled a vase with water and set it back on my night table.

"Kenny you bastard," I whispered to myself smiling. "You're the last thing I think of when I go to bed and the first thing I think of when I wake up."

Aunt Susan drove me. Believe me, it's not a privilege. If it wasn't already 1 o'clock I would've walked. I'm surprised I made it there unharmed considering she kept trying to avoid a flying tiger that wasn't there, and people wonder why I don't practice driving with her. How does SHE even have her license? Once we arrived I was handed twenty dollars and told to "pick up some bear traps on the way home." I smiled and nodded politely as I slammed the car and turned towards the restaurant rolling my eyes.

I spotted my group through the window. Obviously I was the last one to show up. It was already 1:15. Wendy was sitting next to another girl (who I could only assume was Bebe). She was the same girl Kyle was flirting with at Clyde's party. Eric sat on the other side of Wendy and Kenny was across from him. He saw me out in the parking lot walking into the small building. The moment we made eye contact his eyes twitched downward to the table.

"Sorry I'm late!" I apologized running towards them taking the only remaining seat next to Kenny. Technically there was a seat next to Eric but it looked like his fat was occupying that one.

"Naw, it's alright!" Kyle replied whipping his mouth of chicken grease. "Oh, this is Bebe," Kyle said directing me towards the blonde, curly-haired girl on the other side of the booth.

"Steph's in our English class," Wendy added.

"Oh right! So how you like Mr. Garrison?" she asked sarcastically and I giggled politely, though in reality I was annoyed.

"I'm gonna go order," I said standing.

"We'll come with you!" Bebe fallowed, volunteering Wendy, though she didn't seem to mind.

We talked about stupid things in line. Most things I forgot as soon as I returned to the table, but it was nice I had someone to talk too. Technically it's the first conversation I had with any girls since I came to South Park. We laughed about Cartman and Mr. Garrison. Bebe even complimented my scarf. It meant a lot coming from her who looks like a frickin runway model in a KFC. I returned to the table with popcorn chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and a biscuit. I hadn't relized how hungry I was until I got in line (I know it doesn't sound like much but mind you this is the same girl who can't even eat a whole sandwich for lunch). Bebe Wendy and I were talking and laughing as we sat down.

I looked across to Kenny. He was tired with bags under his eyes. It looked like he hadn't slept in days! There was food in front of him, which was good. At least I knew he was eating. My smiled faded from playful to serious.

"Are you OK?" I asked touching his cold hand gently. An electric shock ran from my fingertips up my arm to my shoulders. I tried not to shiver, but I knew he could sense it. His eyes squinted, a sign he was smiling.

"_I think the question it are YOU OK?" _he asked. I could see my reflection in his pupils. _"You don't look like… yourself…"_

He's right about that. I threw my hair up in a high pony tail, grabbed a random pair of jeans, and my favorite old red sweat shirt that was obviously a men's size. I wore it whenever I needed comfort. The fuzzy material was loose, but soft and tight as a hug. It was my dad's, and it didn't exactly make me look like Kenny's angel anymore.

"I'm tired," was my natural excuse. "Aunt Susan's been keeping me up all night."

"_Oh,"_ He knew I was lying. There was an awkward pause. I started twirling my straw tucked into the sugary fountain drink.

"Hey umm… where'd you go after the party?" I asked looking back up at him. "You know after we walked back to my house?

I prevented my voice from shaking as much as I could with the question. Kenny's pupils shrunk and he sat up a little bit straighter. It seemed like the table went quiet for a second. Cartman even stopped shoveling gravy into his mouth in anticipation for the answer.

"Told you they fucked." Wendy punched his arm.

"You know she'll fuck YOU up again Cartman," Stan warned.

Kenny's hands clenched. _"Frr yrrr infrrrmershion fat ass." _There was something about Kenny's voice when he was angry. It was a lot harder to understand and even more muffled. "_I walked hommme like a prrrfct gnntlmnn affer a goodbuyyy at the do-"_

"Whatever _Kinny_! I don't want to know about the sick fetishes she performs for you," Cartman stated going back to his gravy, obviously not trying to understand Kenny's muffled code.

"_YOO SNN OF A BISCH!"_

"Cartman shut the fuck up!" I said.

"SO Stephanie," Bebe perked from the end of the table. "Are you really from California?"

"Yeah," I said eying Cartman. I was tired of explaining this but I knew Bebe just wanted to change the conversation. "My mom lives out there and my brother just went to college."

"I thought your mom was in Lybia or something," I looked over to Kyle who decided to make this smart-ass comment. Kenny gave him the same aggravated look.

A cold rush ran through my blood. "Well it's not like she sold the house before she left. I mean she's gotta come home to a house doesn't she?" I snapped at him. Kyle just stared at me. "I'm so sorry," immediately fallowed my out burst. "I'm just so tired."

"Well looks like somebody's on the rag!" muttered under his breathe and taking a sip of Diet Double Dew.

I sunk down into my seat and let my face turn red as the table giggled and went back to their meaningless conversation.


	6. Chapter 6: The Taste of Copper

Oh my goodness I realized how many times I used "bathroom" in this chapter. I'm so desperate to fix it I'm doing it on my iPhone! I had to delete the word at least 3 times.

Since this is the first breaking of the fourth wall I've made, I just wanna say thanks really quick and I REALLY appreciate all the reviews! You don't know what that means to me! Love you all! heart! (cause the "less than" doesn't show up)

* * *

The walk home from the bus stop was my favorite part of the day. Stan and I headed down De Los Mexicanos Avenue and Eric, Kyle, and Kenny took off to the train tracks in the other direction. That was the land mark that bordered the ghetto part of town. I've gone to Kyle's house once before and it is GORGEOUS! Maybe I'll become a lawyer like his dad; they make a shit load of cash. I've never seen where Eric lives but I'm sure Kenny lives on the other side of those tracks. After all, Cartman's jokes DO seem to have some truth to them. He's always making them as they walk away from us. Once I even heard him screaming at Kenny from my house at the far end of the street.

Stan's house is no more than a quarter of a block from the bus stop, but we always seem to have deep meaningful conversation, from politics, to religion, to my brother. They seem to end up on my brother a lot. Somehow I slipped out to him that Daniel was gay, yet not one joke's come out and I know he hasn't told anyone! There was an atmosphere of trust that fallowed him where ever he went. I could tell him anything, unlike Kyle, who lived for gossip. I can really trust Stan, more than Kyle, and maybe even more than Kenny.

I got home on a mid-September Thursday and received a glass of sparkling cherry juice and handful of sesame cookies from Aunt Susan. She's crazy, I know, but she really means well. Most of the time she isn't home after school but whenever she is she spoils me to the point that I forget to do my homework.

"You got a letter," she told me in her bird-like voice. "You're meds came too."

"Thanks," I said taking a large prescription bottle and purple envelope. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and she handed me another cookie as I headed up stairs.

She gets like this about once a month (the opposite of her period days). Her personalities calm down and she acts like a 50's housewife (similar to Eric's mom as I've heard). When it is her time of the month though, she gets pretty crazy. You can hear it in her voice when her personalities start to change. It goes from sweet as a bell to rough, angry, and scraggily.

I remember once when I was a little girl, before she lived in South Park, I spent the night at her house. I was only seven, and Daniel stayed home because it was a "girl's weekend." I woke up and came down and when I turned the corner leading from the living room to the kitchen there she stood with butcher knife in hand. She looked like she had been attempting to make a salad, but she lost it when she got to the tomatoes. She was covered in their red paste. She smiled cutting another red fruit-vegetable to a pulp. She turned and started walking towards me with the knife. The next thing I remember was waking up in my bed at home. Daniel told me mom and him drove the half hour to pick me up. I guess I passed out when I ran up to the guest bedroom, locked myself in, and called my mom on her home phone.

Since then aunt Susan goes out of town whenever her happy personalities start to fade. Whenever I think back to that incident I feel a rage grow inside my stomache towards my mother. Why would she leave me here with her… of all people? I could die here, she could KILL me! Somehow she manages to keep a small part-time job and Mom sends her money every month to take care of me. I like to think that without the disorder, Aunt Susan would be like she is now, making cookies all day and handing me juice when I walked through the door.

The entire upstairs is mine. You walk upstairs and there's a small fence-like railing that perimeters the stairs. Across from the top step is my door that leads to my bathroom. I turn around to my bed and flop down my back-pack (which may as well be a second torso) and lay face up on my bed looking around at my bright pink walls and zebra striped accessories. I love my room.

I picked up the small bottle of pills Aunt Susan gave me and popped one in my mouth fallowed by a large gulp of cherry juice. It's been awhile since I've had one of the smooth, blue capsules. The pharmacist's paper work and shit had a hard time switching to another state or whatever. I wouldn't need them if Mom weren't constantly abandoning me… and if Dad where still here.

I hate her! I hate how she can dump me off with a mentally challenged relative with a few hundred dollars every month and consider that "raising me." Daniel is more of a mother to me than she could ever hope to be. He was the one who let me cry with him. He went shopping with me. He was even gonna do my hair for prom! But if he wouldn't have went to college-

NO! I'm being selfish! I'm a selfish bitch! Daniel deserves to be happy. I whipped a tear from my cheek.

"Great this prescription is already working," I mumbled to myself sarcastically.

Tired of feeling sorry for myself, I ripped open the purple envelope. I wasn't sure what to expect, who mails anything anymore? But there wasn't a stamp or return address or anything. Inside there was a yellow flyer with glitter and stickers of hearts and stars and stuff. For one of the first times in my life, something so girly excited me.

_Stephanie,_

_You are cordially invited to the birthday party of Wendy B. Testaburger Saturday October 9th 6:00 pm to October 10th 2:00pm. Please bring a sleeping bag and a dessert. No boys allowed ;) RSVP: 772-257-4501_

_Sincerely,_

_ Wendy _

Immediately I perked up. My first party in South Park! Well first _real_ party anyway. I was kinda forced into the last one by Stan and we didn't stay very long. But this is like a LEGIT girl slumber party! I wanted to RSVP right away, but then again I might sound desperate, and I have all this homework to do. I guess I'll just do it later.

Around 10 o'clock, as I was drifting in and out of falling asleep, the vibrating of my phone startled me awake. I squinted at the bright screen annoyed, until I saw a text from my brother.

_Hey wat time is it? –D_

I smirked at his stupid question. **You could tell me the mass of Jupiter but you don't know that Connecticut is two hours in front of Colorado!**

_1.8987*10^27 kg –D_

I laughed and sat up; glad to finally be hearing from my brother. **What are you still doing up?**

_U have no idea once u get 2 college u live off redbull and starbucks sry i havnt called u or anything its just been hard adjusting u know? How's Aunt S –D_

**She hasn't really had any episodes lately… so how have you been?**

_omg theres this boy whos across the hall of my apartmet he has history class w me and o my god he has the nicest ass! Hes already got a bf tho DX –D _

I giggled. He's masculine most of the time, but statements like this make me think of him as my sister. **You go in there and tap dat ass!**

_XP eas say so wbu whats the social scene like in south park i havent been there since i was like 14… ur age I guess –D _

I blushed **Well there's this boy… He's REALLY sweet. I like him… a LOT! Like… since I saw him, not like the few other guys I dated.**

_Not like josh? –D _

**Oh my gosh don't even remind me of him!**

_What's he look like –D _

**Well he wears an orange parka all the time. He's never really… taken it off. His voice is always muffled from it. It like zips up, then there's a piece of cloth that goes up to right under his nose. He pulls it down whenever he eats but that's the closest I've gotten to seeing his full face. His hood's always up too, even when it gets hot, it's the strangest thing. But it's got like this fluffy brown fur that edges it. It gives him this air of mystery! **I reread the text several times before deciding to send it. My words were chosen carefully. As soon as I hit send I regretted it, and by the time I got his reply I could feel a moister of sweat forming on the back of my neck.

_Stephanie, am I reading this right? _(He spelled every word out and used actual punctuation, which was a bad sign. Usually I was the only one who ever texted like that. It drives me crazy to type on my iPhone any other way.) _You're IN LOVE with a boy, but you've never even seen his face! –D _

My face turned red as my fingers tapped angrily on the screen. **I never said I loved him.**

I waited a few seconds for a reply, then decided I was angry at him. I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Who is he to judge, he hasn't even MET the guy!

**I gotta go to bed**

SEND! I threw my phone on the bedside table, irritated. I didn't want to think about what he said… and that word… love. The words kept ringing in my head in his voice. I know I had thought it a few weeks ago at Clyde's party, but… but it's different…

God I'm such a whore…

That night I dreamed I was with Kenny at Clyde's party. We went upstairs and into his parent's bedroom. He laid me down on the bed and stripped his pants off. I took him in my mouth.

But then he started pulling my hair painfully and pushing his dick deeper into my throat so I couldn't breathe. He came and I coughed up blood and his cum. He hit me and called me weak and I cried hugging his calves.

Then I saw my brother behind Kenny with his arm around the boy he described through his texts. For some reason I remembered going to their wedding. Kyle, Stan, and Wendy appeared in the doorway. They were all laughing at me, except Daniel. He had a disappointed look on his face that sent a knife through my heart. I was embarrassed because I was naked and I tried to get up and cover myself but I couldn't because my hands were handcuffed behind my back and my shins were glued to the floor.

Kenny just strutted out of the room, his pants still on the floor next to me and grabbed Wendy and started making out with her. Stan had no reaction, he just kept laughing at me with Kyle. They closed the door and left me alone stuck in the room.

I was sweating more than a hooker in church the next morning when the alarm startled me awake, my whole body felt damp. I hit off the digital clock. I was cranky, in no mood to go to school, but before I knew it I was pushed out the door by Aunt Susan and walked down to the bus stop were Kyle, Cartman, and Stan were waiting for me.

"YOU FUCKIN JEW RAT!"

"What the hell are they fighting about this time?" I asked Stan annoyed.

"That science project."

"STILL? That thing was assigned last week."

Cartman then acknowledge my present. "It's all because of this CUNT!"

"Shut the fuck up Cartman," I couldn't fight with him right now. I stared straight ahead waiting for the bus to come.

"NO! Bitch, I am SERIOUSLY! If you didn't take all the brains in the class, I wouldn't be failing, and my mom wouldn't be bitching all the time."

"SHUT UP CARTMAN!" a fire sparked inside me. Stan and Kyle sensed it and backed away a little bit. I saw Cartman walk closer to me from the corner of my eye.

"Bitch don't tell me what the fuck to do! It's not like your gonna become the next Steven Hawking or whatever! Get back in the kitchen were you belong and make me a god damn sandwich!"

In one swift movement, I turned to him, grabbed his shoulders to keep him in place, and kneed him square in the nuts. He dropped to the ground and mumbled into the snow. Kyle laughed as I turned back to my original position and looked on as if nothing happened, which made him laugh even harder.

"_Kyle what the hell did you do?" _I turned to see the orange silhouette run towards us.

"Steph did it!" he called back.

"_No way!" _ Kenny said between pants as he got closer staring at me wide eyed. I gave him a reassuring smile.

"He got on my pissed side," I tuned back to the street monotoned. "I just want this week to be over with."

"_I know how that feels," _he replied turning to the same direction, trying to figure out what was so interesting about the other side of the street. _"I almost flicked school today."_

"I've never done that. I'm not good at lying and the only way I can only convince Aunt Susan I'm really sick if I'm in need of a heart transplant."

Cartman got up from the snow, soaking, as the bus arrived limped behind us taking a seat next to Butters in the back where we always are. I guess there's a bus stop closer to his house, he just ran to ours on the first day of school. I have few classes with him, but he's so quiet I never notice. There's something familiar about that boy though. I feel like I've seen him before or something. Maybe my head's just playing trick with me.

"SO what are you doing this weekend?" Kyle asked interrupting my thought process.

"Not much," I said as Kenny climbed over me taking the window seat. "Next weekend I'm going to Wendy's party."

"Oh cool, she invited you?"

"Yeah, that reminds me I gotta text her."

"Well we were thinkin' about heading down to Stark's Pond late tonight, like around seven. Wanna come?"

"Why the hell are we inviting HER?" Cartman barked turning around to face Kyle.

"Because we actually want her there," Kyle barked. "Unlike you. You just invite yourself to everything!"

"EY! Fuck you JEW!"

Their useless bickering continued as I pulled out my phone and went scrolled through my contacts to text Wendy. I almost missed the text I got from my brother. It said it was sent later last night. I must have been asleep and not've seen it. Really, I was in no mood to read it, especially right now with Kenny sitting next to me, but subconsciously my fingers opened the message.

_I'm sorry… I just don't want you to get hurt. A lot of guys just want to go out, find a cheap floozy, and fuck the shit out of you. Sure they say they love you, but the next thing you know they leave you alone in bed with cum in your hair, tears in your eyes, and your heart in pieces. I love you, stay safe XOXO –D_

I could hear my heart thumping as I reread his message again and again. My face grew hot. Kenny wasn't like that though. He was sweet and funny… though his mind was in the gutter a lot… then again mine ended up there too…

"Steph- Stephanie?" My mind snapped back to reality as I tilted my head up, my eyes meeting Leopold's. He rubbed his knuckles together timidly eying Kenny. "I said, it'd be awful nice if you could come!"

"Oh! S- Sure I'll come," I said blushing. "I have no idea where it is, but I'll come!"

_"I can walk you there,"_ Kenny muffled next to me.

"Ok cool." I smiled at him gazing into his ocean-blue eyes.

But I never made it to Stark's Pond that day. I came home and did the same thing I always do. Received a glass of cherry juice from aunt Susan, went upstairs, started my homework, but about a half hour later, my stomach started to hurt. I tried to make my way to the bathroom but I fell as soon as I stood up from my bed. Something came up my throat, then my mouth tasted like copper. I moaned loudly trying to sit up. My whole body ached and my insides were on fire. My vision started to blur. I passed out in the middle of my room.

Then I saw my dad. He was wearing all white, and was younger looking than when he died, like in the pictures I saw of him at his wedding when he had a full head of thick, black hair. He was the only thing for miles. We were surrounded by white clouds of fog as far as the eye could see. Dad reached out his hand, as if he were helping my up a step, giving a warm smile. I floated closer and closer and reached out to accept his offering grip. But then I stopped floating. My body got three times heavier and I started to fall. His face filled with terror as I slipped farther and farther away. Then pain raced through my entire body as if I had reached the bottom of whatever I was falling from.

I sat up in bed panting. My clock read 3:00 a.m. I tried to stand up slowly, but the room was spinning. The wall guided me to a switch but the light made me even dizzier. I closed my eyes and sunk to the floor in a cold sweat. The muscles in my esophagus started to pulse. Liquid shot up my throat, out my mouth and onto the floor. It was pure stomach acid. Nothing was left to regurgitate.

There was another pile of vomit on the floor and chunks from it on the right side of my face. I got scared and called for Aunt Susan, desperately. I yelled as loud as I could as a stream of tears started to run down my face. After 10 minutes I realized I'm at home alone. I was stuck, tired, I needed help. I crawled to my phone and called the only person I could think of.

_Ring_. Maybe I shouldn't do this. _Ring_. I don't want to disturb him late at night. What if he's busy? _Ring_. I could try to make through this by mysel-

"Ugn… hello?"

"Kenny?" my voice was shaking in panic. I had trouble controlling at which the words flew out of my mouth.. "Aunt Susan left and I threw up and I can't move," my breathes started to grow shorter. "And I don't know what to-"

"Steph I'll be right over!" his voice was light and gentle, but had a seriousness to it. "_Just stay awake!_" He already had his parka on?

"Okay…" I whispered into the receiver. "There's a key under the mat."

Before I knew it I heard the sound of a car pulling into the drive way. The front door unlocked. "_STEPHANIE!" _a muffled voice called

I groaned as a signal to tell him where I am. He rushed up the stairs to my room.

"Kenny?" I mumbled weekly looking over at an orange patch of fuzz.

"_Oh my god, what happened?" _he exclaimed. I heard the water start running in my bathroom.

"I don't know," I called to him weakly, my eyes started to water again. "I- I threw up, and passed- passed out when I got home… and when I woke up no one was here."

He helped me to the bathroom were a bubble bath awaited me. _"You clean up," _he told me. He left closing the door behind him.

I stripped off my clothes and let my body soak in the water. I was there for a while scraping the dried vomit from my face and washing my hair. Kenny started running the vacuum. How did he know so much about my house? My eyes dried and I started to feel calmer and really guilty for making Kenny come and babying me.

Eventually I got up and wrapped my hair and body in towels and left the bathroom. As I closed the door feeling refreshed and turned to see Kenny on the floor scrubbing the carpet. Startled I took a step back but ended up knocking into the closed door. He turned at the sound.

"_Oh God!" _He looked away startled. _"I- I'm sorry."_

My face turned bright red as I tried to slip over to my dresser. "No I- I forgot that… that you were here…" I managed to grab sweat pants, a tank top, and underwear with his eyes avoiding me. I slipped back into the bathroom and got dressed. I put my bra on that I fell asleep in. If Kenny saw my erect nipples I think I'd die of embarrassment. I brushed my teeth to get the taste of vomit and morning breath from my mouth.

This time when I left the bathroom he wasn't there. I laid in bed again, shaking worse than before, when Kenny came up the steps with a glass of sparkling liquid.

"What is that?"

"_Ginger ale," _he muffled placing it on my bedside table next to a plate of toast. As he bent down his features became more detailed. His eyes were dull with large, dark bags hanging from them. He looked like he was asleep, eyelids drooping so his golden eye lashes barley brushed against each-other. _"I ran to the store while you were in the bathroom. Only take a few sips though…"_

"Will you stay here?" I pleaded. "Just for tonight?"

Tiredly he slunked down into my bed and fell asleep not bothering to join me under the covers. A faint sunrise light streamed in from my window and a few birds could be heard chirping. I ate and drank very little before accompanying him in dreamland.


	7. Chapter 7: Dare to Hear the Truth

I was rather surprised when Bebe opened the door. She looked me up and down as she slightly swayed back and forth, clinging to the door frame. The shimmer in her eyes and "Pabst Blue Ribbon" in her hand hinted a bit of intoxication. That, and I smelled alcohol on her breathe. I felt mediocre in my plain jeans and flannel shirt compared to the skimpy pajamas she had on. There was an intimidating look on her face as if she didn't want me there. My fingers tightened around my duffle bag as my face brightened.

"Stephanie!" she cried as if she had just recognized me. Next thing I knew she had flung herself at me in some sort of attempt to hug. Over her shoulder I saw Wendy and a few other girls I usually sit with during lunch. They giggled and Wendy tipped her thumb back to her head, referring to the drunken Bebe.

"You gonna let her in?" Wendy laughed, sensing how awkward I felt.

Bebe pulled me in the house (rather roughly) and motioned for me to sit down in the circle with the other girls. Wendy was to me right, and a girl named Milly to my left. They were all dressed similar to Bebe. "We thought you wouldn't make it!" she slurred.

"Yeah well," I fiddled with the tip of my pony tail, embarrassed. "Blame Aunt Susan!"

"You hungry?" Wendy offered. Getting up and walking to the kitchen.

"Oh… no thanks…"

"Shut up Stephanie you're gonna eat something you skinny bitch!" Wendy barked playfully through the archway that lead to the kitchen. We laughed and I showed no further resistance. I was a little hungry. "Dr. Pep-er or Double Dew"

"Dr. Pep-er!" I called back. She returned and handed me pizza and the cold beverage.

"Bebe's a little tipsy," she said to me lightly as she reclaimed her seat.

"What'd you say about me bitch?" Bebe yelled in Wendy's direction.

"I said you're drunk!"

"And whose fault is that?"

"You should've chosen truth!"

"Bebe's gotta drink whenever anyone says 'Wendy.'" Milly added.

"Yeah and it's MY turn!"

"Fine Bebe, but after cake since Steph's finally here."

However, we got side tracked and that happed an hour later. Somehow we got into a Wii bowling tournament. Then "Just Dance" was put into the game slot and the rest is history. I changed into my "Chimpoko-mon" pants (not without insults of course, mostly from Red and Bebe) and grey tank top. Wendy unwrapped her gifts. Mine was a "Gersploosh" album that Stan suggested. Eventually, we did get to the cake.

Bebe, who was a little more sober, glanced around the dinning room table, a devious look in her eye. Everyone else was enjoying the purple-icing and carrying on some conversation about Token or something, but I was watching her. I know she still had a "truth or dare" to ask. Her eyes met mine… and I knew I was FUCKED.

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth," I hesitated.

"How many times have you slept with Kenny?"

I nearly choked on my soda in response to the bluntness of her question. "Like… SEX?" I asked dumbfounded.

"No…" Bebe replied sarcastically.

"Never!"

A few girls laughed. "Don't lie!" I heard one say.

"No I'm serious! I mean… he came over one night… when I was sick because my Aunt Susan wasn't home," my words began to string together as my fingers shook. "And I asked him to stay that night… he made breakfast when he woke up and we watched TV up in my bedroom but that was it!"

"So you gave him a blowjob?" Bebe asked.

"No!"

"A handjob!"

"NO!" I felt my face start to grow red with anger and embarrassment, while the other girls found this conversation extremely hilarious.

"I just wanna get this straight… Kenny… Kenny MCCORMICK came over to your house; fell asleep in your bed with you, and you guys did NOTHING sexual whatsoever!"

"Well… I mean… I think we were spooning when I woke up…" What was I saying? The room fell silent, my face grew red, and then I was hit with the wave of laughter from nine teenage girls. "I don't understand why you all think this is so funny!" My voice had turned serious. I don't think anyone in South Park had seen me so defiant. The girls shut up, most looking in curiosity in what was going to happen next.

"Honey…" Bebe looked at me with empathy. "Kenny McCormick, is a TOTAL man whore…"

"Wha- What?" My face went cold and white. You could feel the tension in the room.

"Yeah," Annie piped in. "It all started with that Tammi chick…"

"Oh right I remember her!" Wendy added. Her voice seemed to relax any conversation, so naturally she cleared all the awkwardness from the room. "Yeah she gave him a blowjob in the fourth grade!"

"They were like… friends with benefits and I think by seventh grade they had sex."

"I'm surprised they waited so long!" Bebe said.

"We did it once…" Milly confessed. My mouth gaped open as I stared at this girl on the left. "After she left in like… her freshman year… I thought he loved me. God he's SUCH an asshole!"

"Me too!" came another voice.

That's when I started to realize, Daniel might be right. Had I been so blind? Maybe I only saw the part of Kenny that I wanted to see, not the side that was actually there. I sunk into the shadows as I did at my old school, observing the conversation as the world forgot my presence.

"Oh my gosh! When we were dating once, we snuck onto elementary school playground late at night," Bebe added in. "GOD he's so HUGE!"

"I know right!"

"Without a doubt; BEST. SEX. EVER!" I'm starting to think Bebe is a total whore.

"You ever give him a blowjob?" Annie asked.

"God I know!" Red joined. "It's like… you can hardly keep him in your mouth!"

"Can we not talk about this?" It was silent. For a second I thought the words came from my mouth, but actually it was Wendy. I hadn't realized it but my eyes were watering. She shot me a glance. "I mean… I just wanna enjoy my cake. You're makin' it pretty hard now that I'm thinking about Kenny's dick in Red's mouth."

"Oh right! Like you haven't done this stuff with Stan!" Bebe perked.

The laughing resumed. I really tried to have a good time the rest of the night. But all I could think about was Kenny. He meant a lot to me, but what exactly did I mean to him?


	8. Chapter 8: Dare to Hear the Truth Part 2

**So this chapter is part 2 to "Dare to Hear the Truth." I finished it and published it but then I thought of all I could've added onto it... a lot. Hope it satisfies you. Leave reviews!**

Wendy was nice enough to drive me home the next day. After Margarine left I got a call that Aunt Susan was in the nut house again. Wendy was talking about Stan and how she knew their first time was "just around the corner."

"Is what they said about Kenny true?" I blurted while we were on the topic of sex.

She let out a loud, annoyed sigh in response and tightened her grip on the steering wheel. "You know, I told Bebe not to bring it up, before you arrived. When she's drunk she's just… annoying as fuck and turns into SUCH a bitch." There was tension in her voice and her eyes stayed locked on the road. I let out a nervous laugh, though my curiosity was overwhelming me.

"It actually started in the fall of fourth grade. There some child molester who became scout master of the boy scout troop. He took... um... he took naked pictures of all the scouts and they ended up on the news."

She paused to let the thought process in my head. I ended up staring at her like an idiot, mouth wide open.

"So this girl, Sally Darson? She saw it and... well... his first handjob was born."

"No... way..."

Wendy nodded, "There was also a rumor about him and this girl named Kelly in third grade, but she lived in Denver and broke up with him 'cause she couldn't handle a long distance relationship. He was crushed."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but that was like, the only real relationship he had."

"What about Tammi?"

"Oh... Well he really liked her. She gave him blowjobs since the fourth grade, which was when he started shaving his balls, but you know, after they became fuck buddies she didn't take him seriously you know?"

"I guess...?"

"Then she got knocked up. Kenny thought it was his, this was in eighth grade by the way, and after 3 months he was able to accept the fact that he was gonna be a dad."

"What happened!"

"It wasn't his."

"No way! That sounds like one of those fake-ass stories on the Maury show!" She laughed but I just felt this awful twisting pain in my stomach. It had actually been sitting there since last night. Whenever we talk about him, it grows tighter and more painful, as if I'm gonna throw up. I didn't want to hear the rest, but I figured the truth's gotta come out sooner or later. Better now, I guess. "So who was the father?"

"Scott Malkinson, he had a lisp and diabetes," I barely held back a laugh. "They're in North Park now, living off food stamps." with that we both lost our shit. "But he fell into some sort of depression," she continued. "Cause I guess they had different labels for each-other. Like, Kenny loved her but she just thought they were friends with benefits, I guess. So he filled the 'void' with what he knew best."

"Sex?"

"Yeah," she replied. "So I know he fucked Bebe, Milly, Margorine, Red, and even Stacy Anderson, bu-"

"THAT GIRL'S LIKE A SAINT!" I cried.

"She's got an inner whore that's screaming to come out. Plus I think I was during the 'Paris Hilton' craze. Damn he got a lot of action in those four days."

"Oh I remember that! Back when all the girls went through that simultaneous slut phase!"

"Yeah, but those are only the girls I know about FOR SURE!"

"You… you haven't-"

"GOD NO!" Wendy's face turned red at the thought. "Damn Steph!"

"I just had to ask!"

"I'm a fuckin VIRGIN! Besides, do you REALLY think I'd have sex with Kenneth McCormick before Stan?"

"Woah, wait! That's his first name!"

"Kenneth? Yeah, didn't you know that?"

"I guess it never occurred to me," I blushed. "How do you know all this about him anyway?"

"Umm, I've been dating Stan since the third grade?" We turned down my street. I almost didn't want to get out of the car. I wanted to stay with Wendy and talk, about Kenny or Tammi or Kelly. Why were they so special? I didn't get to ask though. I exited the car, waved good-bye to Wendy, and headed towards my empty house.

"Oh, and Steph!"

I turned to Wendy who had rolled down the window.

"They weren't exaggerating about the size."


End file.
